As mentioned a while ago...

Tonight I made Atlantic Beach Pie.

We've yet to try it but I have high hopes.

Good Saturday!

xoxo, natty ❤ 

Musings

This was my weekend last weekend and unfortunately it’s shaping up to be this weekend as well ;/ Oh well, such is the life of a teacher…

I’ve been keeping busy with grading piles like this one and trying to run (though not wanting to since it’s not sunny and beautiful out) and making lunch at night and laundry and dishes and some wedding planning and yeah, that might be it. I was thinking today about how nice it is to write out things at the end of the day and that I miss blogging so regularly but honestly, the school year and its schedule and flow just zap the life out of me; I can’t even imagine how people with kids do it!

M and I are on a plan to be ready for a half marathon in early May, but I’ve been quite naughty about giving into the warm couch after school instead of going out to run; and we live in the Bay Area- I obviously need to remember those cold Minnesota college days a bit more and realize that our weather ain’t no thang. The race is this and looks beautiful and fun. I think we’re going to do the Bay to Breakers later in May as well. I did it once in high school before I really liked running the way I do now and have wanted to do it for quite a while as a grown up. Plus, there are constantly rumors that it’s the last year and it’s getting too rowdy and etc. so I’d like to do it if there’s any truth to the rumors.

My grandmother is making bread pudding and there’s cinnamon in it so the whole house smells like Ikea (from their cinnamon buns) which reminds me that it’s been well over a year since my last visit and that it’s high time for another. M detests the Swedish superstore but my dear aunty loves it, so maybe in a few weeks we shall sojourn.

As it’s been alluded to, M and I are indeed tying the knot. It will happen in September and I’m getting more and more excited about the blessed day. I ordered the STDs (save-the-dates) yesterday and have actually had my dress since November. The months ahead will bring us quite a bit of planning, I fear, but this is a once in a lifetime experience and there’s no one else I’d rather share it with than my sweetie so I’m going to enjoy every minute up until…forever!

Love day was lovely. I wore a hot pink sweater and we ordered pizza (a big treat!) and watched the first night of Watson’s Jeopardy run which was kind of a disappointment. The first two days just had too many interruptions about how amazing Watson is and how he was made, etc., instead of good old Jeopardy questions. The third day was better though I certainly finished those episodes with a wary feeling of technology and a fear of machines being too smart.

We ate at my school’s annual crab feed since the last time I posted and it was dee-lish with melted butter on top. Per usual, we did not win the raffle, but much fun was had by all. Tomorrow night is another feed at a one of the Catholic Churches, but this time it’s polenta and it’s a smaller event so here’s to crossing those fingers for the raffle (we did win our tv here last year, but that was a TOTAL anomaly)! 

Late in January I completed another year of my life. It was a pretty and sunny day and we celebrated by having lunch at Gayle's (gorgonzola blue cheese mac & cheese: MAJOR YUM) and then my good ole (not in age, though) pops gave into my requests for his famous dry rub smoked ribs and it was SOOOO good. The evening was topped off with a purple princess cake from Gayle's and it was just a nice way to kick off a new and very special (cue wedding march) year. By the way, for those of you who think that a princess cake is something involved with Disney, please read here and here and know that it is actually European in lineage and yummy and great and has nothing to do with Ariel (not that she's my favorite princess or anything like that), though I have nothing against the Disney girls.

Prinsesstårta!

M and our friend E and I went on a neat hike to Alamere Falls in Bolinas to visit their waterfalls and then M took me on a different hike to see different waterfalls to celebrate my special day. More on that later. There is a nap to take and a Friday evening to enjoy.

Happy weekend!

Why I'm late

***This was meant to be posted yesterday!! Just pretend like it's yesterday when you read this =) ***


I got my hair done today, which was exciting since I feel as though I was seeing too many white hairs. I went a bit light for summer and because it's fun. I got to the salon early, which, believe it or not, felt GREAT to me and is what I actually aspire to. If you know me, you know that I can often run a bit late to things. It's not that I'm being passive-aggressively late on purpose, rather I just can't seem to figure out how much time I actually need to do what I want in order to get ready.

Also, there might be a slight concern of being the first person somewhere and not knowing to do with myself, though I'm no longer an awkward 14 year old so maybe I should just face that fear. Or, its actually all my family's fault anyway. So, much to my chagrin my promptness today was most definitely UNVALIDATED when 15 minutes early I was told to go buy a coffee or something and come back on time. Isn't it better to be early rather than on time?!?! I tried at least but without positive reinforcement from those around me (acquaintances or otherwise) I just can't get better.

Last night Audrey and I met up for some much needed catching up at a wine bar on the Alameda which was quite fun despite the oddly somber demeanor of our waiter/wine guy. I'm talking Lurch from the Adams Family level of energy and enthusiasm in this guy! We each had a flight of whites (Chardonnay for A and three different types for me) and then a yummy glass of one of my whites. We hadn't been able to actually see each other's face in person for far too long with all the craziness of life recently so it was SUPER nice to sit on the sidewalk, sip vino and chat.

Our "flights"; yum-yum!

I also went to finally finish the tire work yesterday at Eastridge and got in some (un-necessary) shopping while waiting. Though I was able to get birthday presents for both of my parents; their birthdays are a week apart and I forgot to mention ¡feliz cumpleaños! to my great mom on Monday...happy birthday Mama! We went to the Sonoma Chicken Coop for her celebration dinner last night and had a lovely time =) My mother is such a strong person who works soooo hard and I hope that she had a great birthday!

The necklace I gave mama for her day. The circles each say a different word and for her I chose: Mother, Spirit, Friend and Courage; they all describe her.

At Eastridge I was able to go to Daiso (read about it here), the fun Japanese dollar store, and browsed. I didn't end up buying anything there but took some interesting phone pictures of various products available in the store.

 

Frilly washcloth/dress? Two headed "toi" poodle.

Everyone needs a party gown.

...and we all need party wigs too.

Speaking of her, it's Wednesday night and that means frijoles con mamá which I'm pretty stoked for. She apparently liked my salsa that she tried on the fourth so
I'm taking the rest with me tonight. M and I are hopefully going to go and buy a water cooler at the Home Depot tonight. I guess that we could be less snooty about drinking tap water but it just tastes so chlorinated and we both drink enough water that we're constantly refilling the Brita so we decided that the big bottles with a cooler is the way to go. Memaw used to have an Alhambra one but recently phased it out and I looked into getting the service again but just buying the cooler and filling up at the grocery store seems more economical so that's the way to go; I'm very excited for water = me in a few words.

Before dinner though, I'm planning on doing one more thing. Memaw and I are going to go and buy a straw bale or two to attempt some late season straw bale gardening! It looks so neat and I missed out on planting in the spring so I'm excited to get a summer planting opportunity; are there any suggestions for things to plant this late? What is straw bale gardening, you might ask? Check it out here!

That's enough for now, over and out!


***Now it's today***


Oh boy how I cleaned today! I cleaned and cleaned and took my running day off today. I just keep taking out more and more things for our garage sale, I only hope that people actually show up ha! We got our water cooler last night, it's pretty great, I think, seeing as how we haven't even set it up yet, but I think it's great. The plan is to go and get a five gallon bottle from the Home Depot and then just refill accordingly at the Safeway when necessary...drink up us!


I showered after cleaning and went to pick up M from work and then we had Chicken Masala (sweet, sweet goodness) and New Indian Cuisine on Willow, across from Flower Flour (Flour Flower?) followed up by frozen custard = delish! M's following the LeBron circus on ESPN right now...actually he's asleep on the couch and Sportscenter is on; that counts as "following", right?


Today was kind of a nothing day and I'm planning the same for tomorrow, though Thomas and I are going to lunch together (In 'n Out...what what!) and then getting ready for Saturday morning. As a reward for all of this moving/cleaning/organizing/garage sale-ing

Animal hi jinks.

¡ciao!